When you stop smoking cigarettes, your body begins to heal almost instantly. Here are some things you can expect to happen:
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Withdrawal symptoms: You may experience cravings, restlessness, trouble concentrating or sleeping, irritability, anxiety, and increased appetite and weight gain. These symptoms will pass as your body gets used to not smoking. Relaxation techniques and deep breathing can help with restlessness and trouble sleeping.
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Improved health: Within 20 minutes of quitting smoking, your pulse rate will start to return to normal. After 8 hours, your oxygen levels will start to recover, and the harmful carbon monoxide level in your blood will have reduced by half. After 48 hours, all carbon monoxide will be flushed out, and your lungs will start to clear out mucus, and your senses of taste and smell will improve. After one year, your risk for coronary heart disease decreases by half, and after five years, your risk of mouth, throat, esophageal, and bladder cancers will be just half of what it was when you smoked.
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Managing cravings: Almost everyone who smokes regularly has cravings or urges to smoke when they quit. Figuring out how to deal with cravings is one of the most important things you can do to stay successful. Some tips include going for a walk, doing a jigsaw puzzle or crossword, peeling an orange, and thinking about the reasons you’re quitting and envisioning a positive future.
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Increased appetite and weight gain: You may experience an increase in appetite and weight gain, which may last several weeks. Planning ahead and managing your diet can help with this.
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Improved mental health: Smoking may seem like it helps with anxiety or depression, but quitting smoking can actually improve your mental health.
